Elastic-fluid turbine



0. JUNGGREN.

ELASTIC FLUID TURBINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 6, I9l8.

PatentedSept. 7,1920.

Inventor": Oscar Jun y Eren, l lisb ttorney.

- UNITED STAT NT OFFICE.

OSCAR JUNGGBEN, 0F SCHENECTADY, new YORK, ASSIGNOR T0 GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A ooaronnrro'n or New 2on3.

ELASTIC-FLUID romemn 4 Patented Sept. a, 1920.

Application filed. December 6, 1918. Serial No. 265,639.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, OSCAR JUNGGREN, a citizen of the United States, residin at Schenectady, county of-Schenectady, tate of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Elastic-Fluid Turbines, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to elasticfluid turbines of the type in which the casing is divided into a number of stages by nozzle diaphragms which surround the shaft and are supported in the casing wall, there being a suitable packing'betweenf the bore of the diaphragm and the shaft to prevent leakage.

In starting up and during operation a turbine is subjected to considerable variations in temperature, the variations occurring during operation being due to changes in load and variations in the vacuum as is well understood. Also rubbing may sometimes occur between the moving and stationary parts which may be the cause of considerable heat being generated. As a result of the foregoing the turbine parts are subjected to unequal heating which causes unequal expansion, and in the caseof the diaphragms and easing, thedifference in expansion of a diaphragm and the casing may be considerable so that with the diaphragms connected rigidly .to the casing stresses of substantial magnitude may be set up in a diaphragm or on the casing which may result in the one case in buckling of the diaphragm and inthe other in cracking of the casing.

The object of the present invention is to provide an improved turbine structure wherein the diaphragms are so connected to the casing that they may expand and contract without setting up undue stresses and for a consideration of what I believe to be novel and my invention attention is directed to the accompanying description and the claims appended thereto.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a sectional view of an elastic-fluid turbine showing a diaphragm in, position inthe casing; Fig. 2 is a perspective view illustrating an arrangement for fastening the two halves of a dia hragm together; Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view of certain. of thep'arts, and Fig. 4 is a perspective view thereof. 7

Referring to the drawing, 5 indicates a turbine shaft upon which are mou ted the rotor elements or wheels (not shown) in the usual manner, and 6 and '7 the upper and lower halves of a turbine casing which are fixed together by bolts 8. 9 indicates a diaphragm provided with guide vanes 10. The diaphragm is split horizontally to form upper and lower halves in the usual manner to facilitate assembling. phragm is illustrated in the drawing and my invention is specifically described in connection therewith. It will be understood, however, that the invention may be applied to all the diaphragms of a machine or to as many as desired. 1

Now according tomy invention I provide a suitable detachable means for fastening the .two halves of the diaphragm together so as to form in substance a unitary structure and I yieldingly support this unitary structure in the casing in such manner that it is free to expand radially in all directions relatively to the casing. I

In the present instance the diaphragm halves are shown fastened together by means of links 11 (Fig. 2) which fit into short circumferentially extending grooves 12 at adjacent edges of the diaphragm halves, and are provided with heads 13 which are located in cross slots 14 with which grooves 12 communicate. At 15 are blocks which fit into slots 14 to prevent leakage of the elastic fluid, and at 16 are keys which are driven into key-ways 17 formed half in each of the adjacent diaphragm surfaces to assist. in firmly uniting the diaphragm halves. The diaphragm is of slightly less diameter than the turbine casing and it is yieldingly supported by a suitable number of spaced springs 18 located in sockets 19 in the diaphragm and bearing against the inner surface of the turbine casing. Four such springs 18 are shown, but

it will be understood that a greater, or fewer Only a single diaserves to assist maintain it there so the packing between the bore of the diaphragm and the shaft will be correctly positioned to avoid rubbing,

and there .Will be no danger of the diaphragm sagging. Such supporting means may take the form of projections or'ithe diaphragms which engage the casing, or projections on the casing upon which the diaphragms rest. In the present instance the diaphragm is provided on-opposite sides and at points just. above the horizontal diameter with projections 20 which are suit-' ably fixed in place by screw bolts 21. Projections 20 are provided with fiat bottom surfaces 22 and such surfaces are slightly above the horizontal diameter of the diaphragm, z. c.,.not quite flush with the lower edge of the upper half of the .diaphragm. When the diaphragm is assembled in the casing the projections 20 rest on the upper edge of the lower half of the casing as best indicated in Figs. 3 and 4 and to adjust the diaphragm to the correct position shims 23 of the thickness found necessary are inserted between the projections 20 and the casing surface. The object of having surfaces 22 slightly above the horizontal diameter of the casing is so that some shimming will always be necessary as this aifords an easy way of obtaining correct adjustment for shims of correctthickness can always be readily obtained. The upper half 6 of the casing is provided on opposite sides with slots or grooves 24 (see Fig. 3) in which the projections 20 arelocated and as will be seen from Fig. 3, slots or grooves 24 are sufiiciently large that the projections 20 are loose therein so as not .to interfere with the expansion of the diaphragm. The projections 20 also serve to prevent movement of the diaphragm circumferentially around the shaft.

As is clearly illustrated in Fig. 4, in the present instance the turbine casing is of such contour that it presents a surface 25 to the periphery of the diaphragm and a surface 26 to one side thereof, the diaphragm being held against axial movement b surface .26 and an annular projection 2;. The supporting projections 20 are accordingly in the present instance located at the side of the diaphragm but it will be understood that this is only one specific embodiment of the invention and that the arrangement may be modified to fit any par ticular case.

VVit-h the foregoing arrangement it will be seen that the diaphragm is rigidly supported on the casing as to its weight by the in supporting the weight of projections 20 so that it is prevented from sagging but thatit is yieldingly supported on the casing in all radial directions, so that it is free to expand radially relatively to the casing, such yielding supporting means serving to normally center the diaphragm in a transverse direction and maintain it centered. 1

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, I. have described the principle of operation of my invention, together with the apparatus which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof; but I desire to have it understood thatthe apparatus shown is only illustrative and that the invention can be carried out by other means.

What I claim as new and desire to secure v 1. In an elastic-fluid turbine, a supportmg' wall, a diaphragm, and means which yield.- ingly supports the diaphragm in the, wall so that it is freeto expand and contract radially relatively to the wall. 7

2. In an elastic-fluid turbine, an annular supporting wall, a diaphragm of less diam= eter than the inner diameter of said wall, and yielding means which supports the diav Letters Patent of the United States,

phragm in the wall whereby said diaphragm '1 may expand and contract radially relatively to said wall. 3. In an elastic-fluid turbine, an annplar supporting wall, a diaphragm of less diameter than the inner diameter of said wall, and spring means located between the periphery of the diaphragm and said wall to yieldingly support the diaphragm therein.

4. In an elastic-fluid turbine,

eter than the inner diameter of said wall, and spaced coiled springs located between the periphery of the diaphragm and the supporting wall.

- 5. In an elastic-fluid turbine, the combination of a supporting wall, a diaphragm comprising a plurality of sections, means fastening said sections together, and means which yieldingly supports the diaphragm in said supporting wall.

6. In an elastic-fluid turbine, the combination of a casing, a diaphragm compris-' ing upper and lower halves, means fastening said two halves together, and spring means located between the periphery of the diaphragm and said casing to yieldingly support the diaphragm therein.

7. In .an elastic-fluid turbine, an annular an annular. supporting wall, a diaphragm of less diam- 8. Inan elastic-fluid turbine,

supporting wall, a diaphragm, means prosections together,

between the casing and diaphragm located jecting from the diaphragm at opposite ends of its horizontal diameter and resting on said supporting wall, and yielding supporting means between the diaphragm and said Wall.

9. In an elastic-fluid turbine, the combination of a casing, a diaphragm formed of a plurality'of sections, means fastening said rigid supporting means of the horizontal diameter of the diaphragm, and yielding supporting means between the diaphragm and casing.

10. In an elastic-fluid turbine, a casing formed of upper and lower halves, a diaphragm provided with projections which rest on the upper edge of the lower half of the casing, and yielding positioning means between the periphery of the diaphragm and the casing. 4

11. In an elastic fluid turbine, a casing, a diaphragm therein of less diameter than said casing, and means supporting said diaphragm on the casing at opposite ends of the horizontal diameter of the diaphragm, said means serving to carry the weight of the diaphragm and position it in spaced relation to said casin 12. In an elastic fluid turbine, a casing, a diaphragm therein of less diameter than said rasing, means supportingsaid diaphra on the casing at opposite ends of the horiat opposite ends zontal diameter. of the diaphragrm and' yielding means for centering said diaphragm.

13. In an elastic fluid turbine, an annular supporting wall, a diaphragm, means adjacent the horizontal diameter of the diaphragm which supports the diaphragm on said wall, and yielding means for centering said diaphragm.

14. In an elastic fluid turbine, an annular supporting wall, a diaphragm, and means projecting from the diaphragm at opposite ends of its horizontal diameter and resting on said supporting wall for supporting said diaphragm in spaced relation to said annular Wall.

15. In an elastic fluid turbine, an annular supporting wall, a diaphragm, means projecting from of its horizontal diameter and 'restingon said supporting wall, said means serving to support the diaphragm in spaced relation to said annular wall, and yielding means for centering said diaphragm in a transverse direction.

16. In an elastic fluid turbine, a casing formed of upper and lower halves and a diaphragm provided with projections which engage the lower half of said casing at approximately the horizontal diameter of the diaphragm for supporting said diaphragm in spaced relation to the casing.

17. In an elastic fluid turbine, a casing formed of upper and lower halves, a diaphragm provided with projections which engage the lower half of said casing and serve to support the weight of the diaphragm, and yielding means for positioning the diaphragm in the casing. Y

18. In an elastic fluid turbine, the combination of a casing, a diaphragm comprising upper and. lower halves, means fastening said two halves together, means for supporting said diaphragm on the casing a't opposite ends of the horizontal diameter of the diaphragm, and yielding means for centering said diaphragm.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 5th da of December 1918.

dean JUNGGREN.

the diaphragm at opposite ends 

